Open AccessNeural mechanisms of deliberate dishonesty: Dissociating deliberation from other control processes during dishonest behaviors
Author(s) -
Liyang Sai,
Gabriele Bellucci,
Chongxiang Wang,
Guosheng Fu,
Julia A. Camilleri,
Simon B. Eickhoff,
Frank Krueger
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2109208118
Subject(s) - dishonesty , deliberation , cognition , psychology , control (management) , neuroimaging , cognitive psychology , cheating , posterior cingulate , social psychology , neuroscience , computer science , artificial intelligence , politics , political science , law
Numerous studies have sought proof of whether people are genuinely honest by testing whether cognitive control mechanisms are recruited during honest and dishonest behaviors. The underlying assumption is: Deliberate behaviors require cognitive control to inhibit intuitive responses. However, cognitive control during honest and dishonest behaviors can be required for other reasons than deliberation. Across 58 neuroimaging studies (1,211 subjects), we investigated different forms of honest and dishonest behaviors and demonstrated that many brain regions previously implicated in dishonesty may reflect more general cognitive mechanisms. We argue that the motivational/volitional dimension is central to deliberation and provide evidence that motivated dishonest behaviors recruit the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex. This work questions the view that cognitive control is a hallmark of dishonesty.